What Does the Religious Habit Mean to Me?

What Does the Religious Habit Mean to Me? Sr. Mary Blanche, O.S.B.

Many Years ago, I was blessed to visit some sisters and I was given a paper, “What Does the Religious Habit Mean to Me?”, and I find it as beautiful today as the day I was given it.  Let me share it with you here.

What Does the Religious Habit Mean to Me?  Sr. Mary Blanche, O.S.B.

The Religious Habit is a sign of my consecration, dedication, commitment, and of God’s call for me.

The Religious Habit is a sign of God’s presence to me and a symbol of my faith in God and His promises to His chosen ones who are faithful.  It sustains and strengthens my hope in Christ’s promises to those who leave all and follow Him.

The Religious Habit is a symbol of my love for Christ in choosing me as His bride and my response to His loving call.

The Religious Habit is an immediate sign and symbol of my witness to the People of God whom I serve in Christ.

The Religious Habit is a continual reminder to me to take up my cross daily in following Christ - indicating that I am in the world but not of it.

The Religious Habit daily reminds me of my need for penance and mortification in aspiring for sanctification and the part that prayer and sacrifice should have in my life.

The Religious Habit is a sign and symbol of me dedication in obedience, poverty, and chastity, and a daily reminder of the example my life should be as inspiration for my bretheren and the laity.

The Religious Habit indicates that I do not belong to myself but to God, and continually reminds me of God’s love for me and that my love for Him should be the concern of my every moment of my life.

The Religious Habit is a garment which helps to insure the practice of modesty and strengthens one against temptation and sin.

The Religious Habit is a garment, shield, sign, and symbol that should help foster and develop a great freedom in the life of a religious - a freedom in both the spiritual and temporal world - a freedom from all earthly entanglements - a freedom to be unhampered in one’s flight to God.

The main purpose then of the Religious Habit then is to express and protect the Sacred character of a Religious Woman, to strengthen her in her daily striving for perfection, and to be a continual reminder of Whom she is a Spouse and to Whom she belongs.

The Religious Habit also protects and engenders respect.

The Religious Habit is never out of style.

The Religious Habit also encourages vocations.